Camera support structure

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-169355 filed on Sep. 29, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The disclosure relates to a camera support structure for supporting a camera provided in a vehicle, such as an automobile.

Techniques regarding support structures for cameras provided in vehicles, such as automobiles, are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2014-80081, JP-A No. 2018-131152, and JP-A No. 2019-171958.

An aspect of the disclosure provides a camera support structure for supporting a camera disposed adjacent to an exterior member of a vehicle. The camera support structure includes a cylinder fixed to a vehicle body, a piston, an annular bag, and an interlocking member. The piston is inserted into the cylinder such that the piston is a relatively displaceable along an axial direction of the cylinder. The piston is configured to support the camera. The annular bag is provided between a peripheral edge of a lens of the camera and an end portion of the cylinder. The camera projects from the end portion of the cylinder. The annular bag is made of an elastic material. The annular bag is configured to store a gas with a pressure higher than an atmosphere pressure. The interlocking member couples the exterior member and the piston to each other. The interlocking member is configured to move the piston in a direction in which the lens is retracted into the cylinder in response to displacement of the exterior member. The annular bag is configured to cover at least a part of a surface of the lens in response to movement of the piston.

JP-A No. 2014-80081 describes a mounting structure for vehicle cameras that can easily adjust the mounting angle and has an excellent appearance. In this mounting structure, since a pin provided on an end side of the mounting bracket is pivotably supported by a garnish fixed to a vehicle body, and the base end side of the mounting bracket is fixed to the garnish at two or more different angles by a bolt, the mounting angle of the camera can be easily adjusted, and an optimum image can be obtained by adjusting the mounting angle of a common camera even when the mounting height of the camera differs depending on the vehicle type.

In addition, since the pin is provided on an end side of the mounting bracket, the amount of projection from the vehicle body of the camera supported by the mounting bracket can be reduced, the movement amount of the end of the camera can be reduced to improve the appearance when the angle is adjusted, and the camera can be protected by the mounting bracket.

JP-A No. 2018-131152 describes a mounting structure for a device for detecting front states of a vehicle. The mounting structure includes a rear bracket mounted on a front bulkhead located behind a front grille and a front bracket that extends to the front from the rear bracket and supports the device for detecting front states, and the front bracket is coupled to the front grille and is coupled to the rear bracket such that the front bracket can be displaced backward when receiving a load higher than a predetermined value such that the size of an emblem formed on a front grille does not become large and the device for detecting front states operates normally in an initial state for a long period of time even if a minor front collision occurs.

JP-A No. 2019-171958 describes a technique that causes the housing of a camera to swing in a direction approaching a rear portion of the vehicle body about a support shaft against a biasing force of a first biasing member to prevent the camera from being broken during a collision with an obstacle when the obstacle makes contact with the housing. When an obstacle collides with a bumper fascia and pushes an end portion (rear end) of a frame via the bumper fascia while deforming the bumper fascia, the frame moves linearly in the direction approaching the rear portion of the vehicle body against a biasing force of a second biasing member while being guided by a guide.

A front camera is intended to reduce breakage when a minor collision occurs.

For example, to obtain a necessary angle of view for imaging a road surface immediately ahead, the lens closest to the object is generally a convex lens that projects to the vehicle front side. In such a convex lens, since the lens may have a scratch even if a collision does not affect the operation of the camera, the lens may be replaced eventually.

It is desirable to provide a camera support structure that can suppress the lens from being damaged when a minor collision occurs.

In the following, an embodiment of the disclosure is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description is directed to an illustrative example of the disclosure and not to be construed as limiting to the disclosure. Factors including, without limitation, numerical values, shapes, materials, components, positions of the components, and how the components are coupled to each other are illustrative only and not to be construed as limiting to the disclosure. Further, elements in the following example embodiment which are not recited in a most-generic independent claim of the disclosure are optional and may be provided on an as-needed basis. The drawings are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. Throughout the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted with the same numerals to avoid any redundant description.

A camera support structure according to the embodiment supports a camera that is provided in a front portion of the vehicle body of an automobile, such as a passenger vehicle, and takes an image of the vehicle front side by using a wide-angle lens.

is a schematic cross-sectional view of a front structure of a vehicle having a camera support structure according to the embodiment.

is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by II in.

A vehicleincludes a bumper face, a grille, a camera, a piston, a cylinder, an annular bag, an upper interlocking member, a lower interlocking member, springs, and the like.

The bumper faceis a resin exterior member provided below the front portion of the vehicle body.

The bumper faceis provided below the camera.

The front end portion of the bumper faceis disposed so as to project to the vehicle front side beyond a lensof the cameraand the grille.

The grilleis a resin exterior member provided in the front portion of the vehicle body.

The grilleis formed in a grid to guide air to a radiator core (not illustrated) or the like disposed behind the grille.

The grilleis provided above the camera.

The front end portion of the grilleis disposed so as to project to the vehicle front side beyond the lensof the camera.

The camerais an imaging device that takes an image in front of the vehicle.

The cameraincludes a housingand the lens.

The housingis a cabinet in which a CCD or CMOS solid-state imaging device, a driving device thereof, and the like are accommodated.

The outer shape of the housingis formed in, for example, a cylindrical shape, and the central axis thereof is disposed in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The lensis an optical element that focuses an image in front of the vehicle onto a solid-state imaging device. The optical element of the lensclosest to an object (on the vehicle front side) is a convex lens that projects from the front end portion of the housingto the vehicle front side.

The pistonis a flange member that projects radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the housingof the camera.

The pistonis provided in a middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

The pistonis fixed to the housing. Alternatively, the pistonmay be permanently affixed to the housingof the camera.

The pistonis inserted into the inner diameter side of the cylindertogether with the housingof the camera.

The outer peripheral edge of the pistonmakes contact the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder.

The cross-section of the outer peripheral edge of the pistontaken along a plane including the optical axis of the camerahas an arc shape with a convex portion on the outer diameter side.

The cylinderis a cylindrical member that accommodates a part of the cameraand the pistonon the inner diameter side.

The cylinderis disposed such that the central axis thereof is parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

The cameraand the pistonare displaceable in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the cylinder.

The cylinderis fixed to the vehicle body via a bracket (not illustrated).

The annular bagis a member that seals a gap between a front portion of the housingof the cameraand a front portion of the cylinder.

The annular bagis formed of a flexible member, such as a rubber-based material, and has a circular tube shape that surrounds the lens.

A gas (typically, compressed air) with a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure is introduced from a high pressure gas supply source (not illustrated) into the annular bagand is filled in the annular bag.

The high pressure gas supply source may include, for example, a pump that performs a pumping operation according to the suspension stroke of the vehicle.

As illustrated in, when the vehicle does not collide, the annular bagprojects radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the lensso as not to obstruct the angle of view of the lens.

An exhaust memberis provided at a position at which the annular bagfaces the front surface of the piston.

The exhaust memberis disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the housingof the cameraand the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder.

The exhaust memberis in contact with the front surface of the pistonwhen a collision of the vehicle does not occur. In this state, the exhaust memberseals the high pressure gas in the annular bag.

When the pistonmoves backward with respect to the cylinderduring a collision of the vehicle, the exhaust memberreleases a part of a high pressure gas G in the annular bagto the inner diameter side of the cylinder.

The upper interlocking memberis a member that couples the rear end portion of the housingof the cameraand the lower portion of the grilleto each other.

The upper interlocking memberdetects an external input to the grilleand transmits the external input to the housing.

When the grillemoves backward with respect to the vehicle body due to a minor collision of the vehicle, the upper interlocking membercauses the housingof the camerato move backward with respect to the cylinderas interlocking operation.